DAVID PRUNTY WINS E.H. WOLF & SONS 80 AT SLINGER SPEEDWAY!!!
By Dean Strom

(Slinger, WI) May 27—Defending Slinger Speedway late model track champion David Prunty captured his second feature win of the season Sunday night, scoring a convincing win in the E.H. Wolf & Sons 80.  Prunty crossed the strip ahead of Brad Mueller and John Mueller.

“I made the crew work for it today,” said Prunty.  “We showed up with the wrong right front suspension and changes during every practice session and before qualifying.  But we got it right for a cool track.”

Mike Strupp and John Mueller started from row one while Prunty rolled off from the fifth spot.  Strupp took the lead at the drop of the green while John Mueller and Al Schill settled in behind him.  John Mueller got pinned on the outside lane, allowing Schill and Prunty to sneak by before he could get to the bottom. 

Prunty, however, was busy making it look easy, moving past fourth starting Nick Hammer at the drop of the green and moved to the outside of Schill on lap five.  Schill’s night came to an abrupt halt immediately after Prunty got by as the five-time speedway late model track champion’s car lost power.  By lap 10 Prunty shot under Strupp for the lead and immediately opened up a healthy advantage.

Ninth starting Brad Mueller was on the move early, working past Dale Prunty and into top five by lap 10.  Brad Mueller quickly dispatched of fourth running Hammer and set his sights on side-by-side running John Mueller and Strupp.

John Mueller eventually got past Strupp, just prior to the events first caution, triggered when Mike Strupp got sideways in turn three.  Rookie Dale Prunty, Dennis Prunty, Tony Strupp, Travis Dassow and Matt Kocourek all got tangled up with Mike Strupp in the wild incident.  Mike Strupp and Dassow suffered the worst damage and were done for the night.

When the field came down for the green, it was John Mueller who lined up alongside the leader Prunty.  Brad Mueller went from the inside of row two.  Brad quickly got past John before the caution flew again, this time for a Tony Strupp and Hammer spin off of turn two on lap 32.  Both Strupp and Hammer were sent to the rear of the field as Brad Mueller, the winner of the seasons opening event, lined up alongside Prunty on the subsequent restart.  He, however, could only watch as Prunty drove off to a solid lead.

The remaining distance ran caution-free.  The most spirited battle of the night occurred between Dale Prunty and John Mueller as they raced side-by-side for nearly 50 laps.  John Mueller eventually prevailed and captured the third spot as Dale Prunty settled for fourth.  Rich Loch finished fifth while Jeremy Lepak made a last lap pass of Lowell Bennett to finish sixth.

Earlier in the evening, Brad Mueller scored the fast dash.  Tony Strupp notched his first fast qualifier award in eight years, touring the ¼-mile oval at 11.490 seconds.

Kyle Jarlsberg started from the outside of row one and cruised to the win in the limited late model feature, leading all 30 laps.  Tenth starting Jon Reynolds, Jr charged to the runner-up spot with Scott Ascher rounding out the top three.  Jerry Eckhardt finished fourth while current point leader, Chris Ratajczyk, finished fifth.

Four cautions slowed the event behind Jarlsberg forcing Ratajczyk to take evasive action on nearly every one.

Earlier, Reynolds, Jr drove to victory in the limited late model fast dash and Ratajczyk paced qualifying by lapping the speedway in 12.520 seconds.

Jeff Holtz scored his first Midwest Sportsman feature win of the 2007 season, leading the final 10 laps.  Chris Beine; Adam Mass, making his first Slinger Speedway appearance; Pat McIntee and Jay Shambeau rounded out the top five.

Shambeau started from the pole and jumped to the lead at the drop of the green as Beine, Kenny Joosten, Bobby Giers and Holtz gave chase.  Beine found the high lane to his liking and charged around Shambeau to take over the point on lap five.  A torrid battle ensued behind the new leader with Joosten’s chase ending on lap 14 when a tire issue sent his potent mount to the pit area.

The events first caution flew on lap 20 for a Shawn Hofler spin.  That bunched the field and put Holtz on the outside of row one for the restart.  On the restart, Holtz wasted no time charging to the lead.  From there the race was for second as Holtz cruised to the win.

The race ended under caution when Tom Elsinger and Hofler spun in turn three of the white flag lap.  The evening began with Dave Thomas setting fast time in the Midwest Sportsman, clipping off a lap of 12.646 seconds.  James Swan scored the divisions fast dash.

Steve Wells made his first trip to Slinger Speedway a memorable one by setting fast time in the Slinger Bees and then charged to the win in the 20-lap.  Craig Frase finished in second place ahead of Todd Booker and Jared Apel. Zach Durham finished in fifth place.

Willie VanCamp claimed the Figure 8 finale while Jake Zignego won the Slinger Speedway guest car 6-lap feature race.

Event: EH Wolf & Sons 80                                                              Date: May 27, 2007